CHICAGO BUS AND STREETCAR ROUTES

ROUTES 1-9

Listed for each route are dates of first horse car, first cable car, first electric streetcar, and first bus service. Although the introduction of cable cars or electric streetcars on a route, did not necessarily mean the immediate total elimination of older horse cars or cable cars on all segments of that route.

Also listed are dates of final elimination of streetcars and conversion to buses. Although some routes used buses during weekends prior to the total elimination of streetcars. Some streetcar routes had bus extensions at one time, which usually are listed.

8/12/18 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
10/7/46 - Through Route discontinued

Used 55th St. branch of Cottage Grove route, operated north via Broadway. After discontinuance of route, certain route 4 streetcars continued to serve 55th St. branch during rush hours until 8/1/47.

Carhouses: Cottage Grove/Devon

4/15/23 - introduced by CMC as bus route 1 Drexel-Hyde Park
9/13/81 - combined with route 38 Indiana, forming route 1 Indiana-Hyde Park
1/24/82 - segment south of 63rd St. transferred to route 27 South Deering
8/31/2003 - segment east of Drexel Square transferred to route 15 Jeffery Local

Originally operated south of downtown via South Park Ave. (now King Drive), Oakwood Blvd., and Drexel Blvd. to Hyde Park Blvd. Also originally operated south of 63rd St. to 83rd St./South Shore Drive. Route renamed Indiana-Hyde Park effective 9/13/81, when route was changed to present form north of 51st St., replacing 38 Indiana route.

Sunday service discontinued 9/17/61
Sunday service restored 9/9/72, replacing discontined route 5 Jeffery Local
Weekend service discontinued 12/28/97
Midday service discontinued 8/31/2003

Bus Garage: 52nd St. (4/15/23-4/24/83)
77th St. (4/24/83-present)

6/6/10 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
9/13/24 - Through Route discontinued

5/6/23 - introduced by CMC as bus route
9/9/73 - discontinued

Route operated between downtown and 57th St. via South Park Ave. (now King Drive) and Hyde Park Blvd.

Operated rush hours only

Bus Garage: 52nd St.

6/25/51 - introduced by CMC as bus route

Hyde Park service originally included both a local route and an express route, with route number 2. Only express route remains.

Operated rush hours only

Bus Garage: 52nd St. (6/25/51-4/24/83)
77th St. (4/24/83-8/31/2003)
103rd St./77th St. (8/31/2003-3/23/2008)
77th St. (3/23/2008-present)

10/5/12 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
3/11/51 - Through Route discontinued

Carhouses: Cottage Grove/Lincoln

12/19/23 - introduced by CMC as bus route 3 South Park
1968 - South Park Ave. renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

South end of route was 81st St. until 6/20/65, with South Suburban Safeway Lines providing only service prior to then.

Owl service introduced 1950's
Owl service discontinued 9/13/81

Certain rush hour trips limited stops 3/28/27-11/30/75
Certain rush hour trips limited stops reintroduced 1993

Bus Garage: 52nd St. (12/19/23-5/24/53)
77th St. (5/24/53-present)

1859 - horse car service introduced
1882 - segment between downtown and 71st St. converted to cable car
1892 - electric streetcar service introduced south of 71st St.
10/21/06 - cable car segment converted to electric streetcar
8/12/18 - Through Route streetcar introduced
6/19/55 - streetcar route converted to buses
9/28/69 - segment south of 95th St. transferred to route 4A Pullman

Through Route operated between downtown and 115th St. With opening of Dan Ryan rapid transit line, cut back to 95th St., with new route 4A (later 104, now part of 111) serving points south and feeding into 95th/Dan Ryan terminal.

Owl service

Certain rush hour trips limited stops introduced 8/31/2003

Carhouses: Burnside/Cottage Grove (until 9/12/49)
Cottage Grove/77th St. (9/12/49-7/1/51)
Cottage Grove (7/1/51-6/19/55)
Bus Garage: 77th St.

2/23/13 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
12/4/49 - Through Route discontinued

Eventually operated between downtown and 108th/Ewing. When discontinued, service on South Chicago Ave. had coexisted for 2 years with bus route 25 (now 30).

Carhouses: Burnside/Cottage Grove (until 9/12/49)
Cottage Grove (9/12/49-12/4/49)

12/15/46 - introduced by CMC as bus route 4 Jeffery
10/1/52 - renumbered route 5 after CTA takeover of CMC
9/9/72 - discontinued

Operated between downtown and 103rd/Torrence, via local boulevards south of downtown. With local service discontinued north of 63rd St., all Jeffery service subsequently became part of the express route.

Bus Garage: 52nd St.

2/2/92 - introduced by CTA as bus route

Replaces night service over portions of Routes 27, 67, 95W.

Owl service

Bus Garage: 103rd St.

1/18/12 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
9/13/24 - Through Route discontinued

1870 - horse car service introduced
1896 - route converted to electric streetcar
10/11/37 - through routed with Division route, connected primarily via State St.
2/4/51 - through route discontinued with conversion of Division route to buses
8/12/51 - streetcar route converted to buses
4/8/56 - route combined into ex-CMC route 126 Jackson, with creation of one way streets.

Operated between downtown and Kedzie Ave.

Owl service discontinued 4/8/56

Carhouse: Kedzie
Bus Garage: North Ave. (8/12/51-9/5/54)
Kedzie (9/5/54-4/8/56)

Former Chicago Motor Coach route, now route 55 Garfield

12/16/46 - introduced by CMC as bus route 4 Jeffery Express
10/1/52 - renumbered route 5 Jeffery Express after CTA takeover of CMC
10/13/75 - express service route renumbered 6
1/24/82 - local route also renumbered 6
6/25/2000 - local service replaced with express service at all times of operation
8/31/2003 - redesignated route 6 Jackson Park Express, serving South Shore Drive

Route would operate via Jeffery Blvd. south of 67th St. With original local service discontinued north of 63rd St., Jeffery Local route redefined as a route connecting with south side elevated line at 63rd St., primarily during periods when express route was not scheduled to operate to and from downtown. Effective 8/31/2003, route revised south of 67th St. to serve South Shore Drive instead, with route 14 assuming all service via Jeffery Blvd.

Originally rush hours only/Saturday AM rush
Saturday service discontinued 9/9/73
Midday service introduced 12/17/73
Saturday service introduced 4/5/80
Sunday service introduced 11/30/86

Bus Garage: 52nd St. (12/16/46-4/24/83)
77th St. (4/24/83-6/26/88)
103rd St. (6/26/88-8/31/2003)
77th St. (8/31/2003-present)

10/9/11 - Through Route streetcar introduced, supplementing existing service
9/13/24 - Through Route discontinued

1888 - horse car service introduced
1895 - route converted to electric streetcar
1897 - Suburban RR introduces electric streetcar service west of Cicero Ave.
1913 - Chicago Railways acquires Suburban RR trackage within city of Chicago
11/13/14 - through service introduced over entire route within city
2/29/48 - streetcar route converted to buses

Suburban Railroad trackage outside the Chicago city limits went to Chicago & West Towns Railways.

Weekend and owl service discontinued 9/13/81
Weekend service restored 1984
Weekend service discontinued 10/5/97

Carhouse: Kedzie
Bus Garage: North Ave. (2/29/48-9/5/54)
Kedzie (9/5/54-9/2/79)
Lawndale (9/2/79-6/29/84)
Kedzie (6/29/84-present)

1885 - horse car service introduced
1896 - route converted to electric streetcar
2/29/48 - streetcar route converted to buses
9/9/73 - discontinued

Original Harrison route, operated via Adams between downtown and Racine Ave.

Midday service discontinued 11/30/64

Carhouse: Kedzie
Bus Garage: North Ave. (2/29/48-9/5/54)
Kedzie (9/5/54-9/9/73)

1863 - horse car service introduced north of Chicago River
1877 - horse car service introduced south of Chicago River
1893 - segment north of 21st St. converted to cable car
1894 - service converted to electric streetcar
12/13/11 - first Through Route streetcar introduced, serving 63rd St. at south end
7/16/12 - original Through Route discontinued
6/3/25 - service introduced between downtown and north side via Clark St.
11/20/47 - service discontinued between downtown and north side via Clark St.
12/4/49 - segment south of 79th St. transferred to route 111A Vincennes-111th
11/25/51 - buses substituted on weekends
5/30/54 - streetcar route converted to buses

Various Through Route combinations existed throughout the early history of this route. Original Through Route operated between Grace/Halsted and 63rd/Stony Island. Basic Halsted route extended south of 79th St. via Vincennes and 111th St. to Sacramento. Much of the service south of 63rd St. had been part of the route 42 Halsted-Downtown service. 63rd St. generally was the south terminal for through service continuing north on Halsted. Segment split off south of 79th St. when south segment was converted to buses. Segment eventually evolved into today's 112 route, feeding into the 95th/Dan Ryan terminal.

Owl service discontinued 4/26/98

Carhouses: Limits/77th St.
Bus Garages: Limits/77th St. (11/25/51-4/24/83)
Limits/69th St. (4/24/83-7/3/94)
69th St. (7/3/94-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-3/23/2008)
Kedzie (3/23/2008-present)

10/17/38 - introduced by CSL as bus route 42B South Halsted
2/15/76 - renumbered route 8A

Bus Garage: 77th St. (10/17/38-12/4/49)
Beverly (12/4/55-6/26/88)
77th St. (6/26/88-present)

1884 - horse car service introduced south of Chicago River
1886 - horse car service introduced north of Chicago River
1895 - service converted to electric streetcar
9/4/08 - Through Route streetcar introduced
10/16/12 - route extended north of Cortland Ave. via Southport
8/21/36 - route completed north of Cortland Ave. via Ashland, Southport becomes branch
8/31/47 - Southport segment converted to buses, transferred to route 46 Southport
5/11/52 - buses substituted on weekends
2/14/54 - streetcar route converted to buses

Owl service

Certain weekday trips limited stops introduced 6/18/2006

Carhouses: Lincoln/Noble/69th St. (until 8/31/47)
Lincoln/69th St. (8/31/47-3/11/51)
Limits/69th St. (3/11/51-2/14/54)
Bus Garages: Limits/77th St. (5/11/52-2/14/54)
Limits/69th St. (2/14/54-9/7/57)
Kedzie/69th St. (9/7/57-2/9/64)
Limits/69th St. (2/9/64-7/3/94)
69th St. (7/3/94-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-present)

Most routes created as streetcar routes had "owl" service, or operated 24 hours a day. Most routes created as bus routes never had owl service. Owl service is mentioned, although dates of introduction are not available. Much of the owl service was eventually scaled back or discontinued. Not mentioned are situations where only a portion of a route has owl service, or where hours of service are different for different portions of a route. All routes have generally operated at least throughout the daytime, 7 days a week, unless noted.